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The national database of state and local wildfire hazard mitigation programs
serves as a clearinghouse of information about nonfederal policies and
programs that seek to reduce the risk of loss of life and property through
the reduction of hazardous fuels on private lands. If
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Title: |
Forest Energy Corporation
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Type: |
Biomass utilization
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Jurisdiction: |
City/town
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State: |
Arkansas
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Program Description: |
Background and Products
Rob Davis, the owner and President of Forest Energy Corporation, began operations in Show Low, Arizona in 1991. The company manufactures wood pellets for fuel, in addition to animal bedding, absorbents, and a 5-lb compressed wood log for use in fireplaces and wood stoves. The majority of woody materials used are obtained directly from forest restoration projects. A small component of sawdust, shavings, and fines left over after processing trees for lumber and other wood products are also used. The company employs 30 people in their processing plant and consumes about 150,000+ tons of green wood per year.
Wood Pellet Production Process
To manufacture the wood pellets, woody chipped material is transferred to an in-feed system where it is metered into a screen which separates the chips from the sawdust. The chips are passed through a pre-grinder and mixed with the sawdust. The material is then dried to the proper moisture content. After drying, the sawdust is conveyed onto a screen, which separates the fine sawdust from the coarse material. The coarse material goes through a hammer mill to be reduced in size and is subsequently recycled back into the system. The refined material is metered into the die where the pellets are formed. The pellets are cooled and conveyed into a storage silo. Finally, the wood pellets are packaged into 20- or 40-lb bags, or bulk delivered for central heating customers.
There are currently two grades of pellet fuel: standard and premium. The primary distinction between the two is that the standard grade contains more ash than the premium grade. Generally, wood pellets cost about the same as a cord of well-cured wood and less than all fossil fuels. Generally, pellet fuel is estimated to be only about a third the cost of electricity. A residential pellet appliance is capable of generating 10,000 to 150,000 BTUs of heat per house. An entire house can be heated by pellet fuel when the proper appliance is installed. Projects using commercial boilers up to 40 million BTU per hour are currently in the planning stages in several U.S. Southwest locations. All are automatically fed and controlled requiring only normal periodic maintenance.
According to the plant’s general manager, a bulk delivery system for wood pellets would increase cost efficiency. In utilizing such a system, the consumer would never touch the fuel -- similar to current delivery systems of propane or fuel oil to homeowners. An enclosed bin would provide storage and an automatic feeder would transport the pellets to the stove or boiler. The wood pellets could be delivered as they were manufactured, reducing the processing facility’s storage costs. The Eagar, Arizona Town Hall is currently using the bulk delivery system.
Contact information:
Forest Energy Corporation
1001 North 40th Street
Show Low, AZ 85901
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Forest Energy Corporation, outside Show Low, Arizona.
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Raw material (wood residue) just arriving at the plant.
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Wood pellets packaged into bags.
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